HI HB1754

Establishes a Medicaid Buy-in Program for Workers with Disabilities within the Department of Human Services, with implementation required by July 1, 2017, to expand Medicaid access for employed individuals with disabilities.

Eligibility requirements include: state residency, age 18+, Medicaid citizenship, Social Security Administration-defined disability, gainful employment (part or full-time), income not exceeding 300% of federal poverty level, and assets not exceeding a departmentally-set minimum of $25,000.

Program enrollment cap set at minimum 200 individuals, with authority for the department to require premiums or cost-sharing charges.

Establishes a separate Medicaid Buy-in Pilot Program through the Department of Health to serve 100 workers with disabilities who lost Medicaid eligibility due to employment, effective July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2017.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Health for the pilot program and to the University of Hawaii Center on Disability Studies for outreach and training; requires a progress report to the legislature by 2016.